Monday, July 25, 2016

Nuun - When Water Isn't Enough

It seems that lately, everyone is on a quest to drink more water (myself included). In fact, maybe go get a glass of water right now .... please? We know that hydration is important essential. For runners, it matters even more, especially when the temperatures soar to scorching levels. Dehydration causes all kinds of effects detailed in the most technical terms in the book, Sport Nutrition. You don't need to read it. Just trust me. It's nearly 500 pages, which is a lot of pages. Even a 2% decrease in body weight through sweat can lead to bad things like:

Cramps

Headaches

Nausea

Dizziness

That's a really miserable way to run people! I'll never forget one of the worst runs of my life that has been permanently burned into my brain - my dad took me out to run 10 miles in the middle of summer along an exposed highway without any water. I'm not making this up. I may have stopped and thrown a temper tantrum until we darted into someone's backyard to drink from their hose. Not one of my finer moments. Anyway, it's important to stay hydrated throughout the day, but when it comes to running when do you really need water and when is water not enough?

Short runs (few miles) - If it's cold, I don't usually take anything. If it's warm/hot, I'll bring water.

Short runs in serious heat or long runs (5 miles or more) - I use a supplement in my water.

It doesn't matter if you think you're running fast or slow - it all has to do with the conditions, your level of hydration going into it, and how much you're perspiring. For this girl, there is no "glistening," no "sparkling," I am straight up sweating. A lot. I've made my peace with it and I also discovered Nuun.

So many yummy flavors ...

Gatorade is delicious and all, but part of why I run is to counterbalance what I eat, and if I'm drinking a bunch of sugar while I'm running, I feel like that defeats some of the purpose. Nuun has 4 little calories per serving and zero sugar, but the right balance of electrolytes and sodium to keep you going. It's also gluten, dairy, and soy free. For those that need a little extra pep in their step, there is Nuun Energy, which has b vitamins and caffeine.

2 servings per tablet.

And the magic doesn't end there! Nuun comes in these tubes of tablets, which make them easy for transport. When you plop them in water, they are effervescent, which is code for "more quickly absorbed into your system." Did I mention they taste great? Enough flavor without knocking you over. Bonus points for being easy to get your hands on - you can get them online, in most running stores, and I've even found single tablets for sale at my grocery store. One tube of these babies (12 tablets) will run you about $7. Stay hydrated and happy running!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Make Every Run Incredible!

Subscribe to Lindsay Loves Running

About Me

I'm not an elite runner, just a girl trying to fit my love of running around normal life. I have made every mistake possible and learned a lot over the years, but now I am finding the most joy in helping others.